COMMUNITY, CONSERVATION AND CLEAN-UPS: EXPANDING THE NOTION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN “ENVIRONMENTAL SUBJECT” IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

At its core, this Honors’ Thesis explores why environmental volunteers, specifically beach clean-up volunteers, engage in the act of cleaning up the beach. It follows the stories, anecdotes and reflections of people who volunteer with The Litter Club Singapore and aims to better understand the motivations they possess that drive them to be passionate about keeping Singapore’s coastlines clean. As an ethnographic work that aims to explore the deeper meanings and significances that volunteers tie to the beach and the act of cleaning-up, this thesis is based upon Arun Agrawal’s concept of Eco-Governmentality or Environmentality. Within this framework, this thesis focuses specifically on the term ‘Environmental Subjects’ as developed by Agrawal and strives to demonstrate how this term can be expanded, based on the actions, thoughts and behaviors of The Litter Club Singapore’s volunteers. It also chronicles the author’s personal journey of discovery into marine conservation in Singapore, the phenomenon of litter pollution in Singapore’s waters and the diversity of beach clean-up volunteers in the island.